These Past Unpleasantries
by Elizabeth5
Summary: Sawyer's past is forced to the surface when an unexpected visitor arrives on the island. KateSawyer.
1. Default Chapter

**These Past Unpleasantries**

_author: Elizabeth5_

_summary: An unexpected visitor shows up on the island who may have ties to Sawyer's past. Kate/Sawyer. _

_disclaimer: I own neither the show nor the characters. Sadly. _

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"Sing me a song."

Kate looked over from her position on the beach to where Sawyer was reclined a few feet away. He was shirtless, tanning, his dark sunglasses shielding his eyes from the sun.

"What?" Kate inquired, squinting so she could see him better.

Seeing that he had caught her attention, Sawyer grinned. "Sing me a song, Freckles. I'm bored as sin out here."

Kate shook her head. "Sorry, Sawyer. I don't sing."

"Come on, Freckles, everyone knows to to sing," Sawyer cajoled. "Need help picking a song? What's your flavor? I see you as being a little less country and a little more rock and roll, but nobody's perfect– "

"I don't sing," Kate repeated, trying very hard not to be amused. "Trust me, it's for the best– for both our sakes."

Sawyer laughed to himself, placing his hands underneath his head. "Fine, be that way. I guess we'll just have to come up with something else to pass the time." He wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.

"You're a pig, Sawyer," Kate replied, but without the usual malice behind it.

Truth be told, Kate was finding it much harder to generate any real animosity toward Sawyer. He could be annoying at times, but he could also be amusing and unnervingly understanding. Plus, he made island life much more bearable than anyone else.

_Except for Jack_, she corrected herself automatically. Of course she still preferred Jack.

"Speaking of pigs," Sawyer continued, the tone of amusement in his voice suggesting that he was about to say something particularly vulgar, "here's a little tidbit about their anatomy. Did you know pigs are the only animals besides humans that can– "

"Hey!" They looked up to see Boone running toward them from downshore. "We found a body!"

Kate rose to her feet. "What?"

"A body washed up on shore!" Boone called. "He's still alive!"

In an instant, Kate and Sawyer were both running toward Boone. He led them to the body, where a group was already beginning to form. Kate and Sawyer pushed their way through to the front. It was a man in his late thirties to early forties, with dark hair and a thick frame. Kate glanced around uncertainly. "Is he one of ours?"

"No one's ever seen him before," Boone said, squatting down beside her. "Where could he have come from?"

"I don't know," Kate admitted, "but he needs help. Sawyer, can you go to the caves and get Jack?" No response. "Sawyer?"

She turned, surprised to see that his face was ashen, full of shock. He scarcely seemed to have heard her. Gently, she reached out and touched his arm. "Sawyer." Finally, he looked down at her, still seeming vaguely dazed. "I need you to go get Jack," she said softly.

He hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. Jack. I'll go get him."

Kate watched him leave, a strange sense of foreboding overcoming her. She pushed the thought from her mind, returning to the task at hand. "Boone, can you take his feet? We need to get him out of the sun..."

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Kate watched as Jack finished examining the man. Finally, he stood, letting out a long sigh. "Well," said Jack, "he swallowed a lot of water and it looks like he might have a mild concussion, but other than that he seems fine. He should be coming around any minute."

Behind her, Sawyer tensed. Kate wanted to ask him about it but knew she'd have to wait until they were alone. Instead, she looked up at Jack. "Any idea where he could have come from?"

"A boat wreck, another plane crash." Jack shrugged. "I have no idea. But I'm sure he'll have plenty to tell us when he comes to."

As if on cue, the mystery man coughed, his eyes fluttering open. His gaze passed from Jack to Kate, full of confusion. "Who are you? Where am I?"

"Relax," Jack instructed, "you're okay. I'm Jack and this is Kate, and that's– "

But the stranger's eyes had already landed on Sawyer, and they widened with recognition. "Thatcher," he whispered, "Thatcher, I found you!"

"Thatcher?" Jack repeated. "Who's Thatcher?"

The stranger tried to sit up but fell back again, exhausted. In an instant, he was asleep. Jack turned to Sawyer questioningly. "What was he talking about, Sawyer? Who's Thatcher?"

Sawyer's face was completely impassive. "You got me," he said, shrugging, "my name is Sawyer. Dave Sawyer. Go ahead and check the passenger list if you don't believe me."

Kate looked up at Sawyer but remained silent.

Jack wasn't about to let it go that easily. "Then why did he call you that? The man seemed to know you, Sawyer."

"How am I supposed to know? Seawater's been getting to his brain, I bet." Sawyer grabbed an empty water bottle. "Speaking of which, I'm thirsty. Excuse me."

Jack watched him leave, his face clearly troubled. "You know anything about this?" he asked, turning to Kate.

She shrugged. "Nope. Nothing at all."

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Sawyer was halfway to the waterfall by the time Kate caught up with him. She was out of breath from running, flushed and glistening with sweat, and under normal circumstnaces he'd make a suggestive comment or two. But he wasn't in the mood for it today.

"What's up, Freckles?" he inquired. "Spilling all my secrets to the doc?"

Kate took a moment to compose herself. "I didn't say anything to Jack," she informed him. "Those things were told to me in confidence and I'll keep it quiet unless you say otherwise."

Sawyer was touched by this, despite himself. Just when he'd determined to be standoffish and mean, she went and said something like that. Ignoring his instincts, he let himself relax. "Glad to hear it, Freckles. Now, is there something you'd like to ask me?"

"I want to hear the rest of the story," Kate informed him. "That man knew you, Sawyer. Want to tell me why?"

He thought about lying but decided it would be futile with her. She had a way of seeing through him. Instead, he shook his head and smiled. "Not really, no."

Turning, he headed back toward the waterfall. He could hear Kate behind him, unrelenting. "Sawyer, you can trust me. If this man's a danger to you, I can help."

"I can take care of myself, Freckles," Sawyer returned, "Did for a long time before you ever came along."

"Sawyer," he could hear the desperation in her voice, "don't shut me out. Let me help you!"

Ignoring her, he continued on through the jungle, unable to confide that he needed to shut her out, for both their sakes.

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_To Be Continued..._

I thrive on reviews! Don't make me starve.


	2. Bill and Danny

**These Past Unpleasantries**

_Author: Elizabeth5_

_Disclaimer:I own neither the show nor the characters...sadly._

_author's note: Thanks for all the reviews. I didn't starve last night! _

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"Sawyer knows something."

Night had fallen and Kate had busied herself with preparing a fire near the shelter where the stranger lay. Sawyer was carefully keeping his distance, but Kate would not give herself the same liberty. If this man was somehow connected to Sawyer's past– and especially if this man had some ulterior motive toward Sawyer– she would be the first to know about it.

Of course, as Jack was the resident doctor, he also hadn't travelled too far from the stranger's side. Kate suspected that his devotion to the patient's well-being wasn't entirely philanthropic either; he, too, sensed that this man could answer a few questions about Sawyer's past, and he wasn't going to give up his post.

Kate finally turned back to regard Jack, careful to keep her face impassive. "What do you mean?"

"I don't care what Sawyer says," Jack asserted, "he knows this man. Which means that his being on this island isn't an act of chance."

She looked down at her hands. "You heard what Sawyer said. His name is Dave Sawyer. The man kept calling him Thatcher. He must have mistaken him for someone else."

Jack let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "And Sawyer doesn't strike you as the type that would use an alias? For all we know, he could have a dozen different names."

Kate was suddenly glad for all the background she had in lying. It certainly made covering for Sawyer that much easier. "Maybe you're right," she said, "But our only real option now is to trust what Sawyer says."

"Trust? Sawyer?" Jack shook his head. "That's kind of an oxymoron, isn't it Kate?"

She shrugged. "He hasn't lied to us yet. Withheld information, sure, but he's never been dishonest."

"That we know of."

Kate could feel Jack's gaze on her, studying her. She kept her gaze trained on the fire, not wanting to give him anything to suspect. Jack would never understand her motives for wanting to protect Sawyer. Honestly, she couldn't even really understand them.

Jack took her by the shoulders, startling her from her reverie, and turned her so that she was facing him. He looked into her eyes. "Do you know something you're not telling me, Kate?"

"About Sawyer?" She forced a smile. "What makes you think that?"

"You're keeping something from me, Kate." The words were accusatory, hurt. "Why are you trying to protect him?"

She tried to meet his gaze but couldn't. Finally, she looked away. "Because somebody has to, Jack."

He had opened his mouth to respond when the stranger coughed, struggling to sit up. Kate and Jack both raced back to him, steadying his arms.

"Easy, easy," Jack instructed. "How are you feeling? You okay?"

The stranger laughed, massaging his head ruefully. "I feel a bit hungover but otherwise fine. Where am I?"

Jack laughed in return, shrugging. "Wish we could tell you. We were on a plane that crashed about a month ago and we've been stranded here ever since. Wherever here is."

"That tops my story," the stranger admitted, "Boat was caught in a storm. Must've been a few miles from here. I guess the others didn't make it."

Kate folded her arms, regarding him. There was something about this man she instinctively didn't trust. "What were you doing out here in the first place?"

He met her gaze evenly, his eyes masked but curious. "I was looking for someone. The man who was here before. Tall, blondish."

"Sawyer," Jack said, before Kate could stop him. "But you called him Thatcher."

The man laughed, shaking his head. "Typical Danny. He's always paranoid about this or that. Changes his name more than he changes his underwear."

Jack frowned at him. "How do you know him anyway?"

"He's my brother," the stranger replied easily. "Daniel Thatcher. I'm Bill Thatcher."

Kate somehow resisted the urge to laugh. A four year old could have come up with a better ruse. "You called him Thatcher when you first saw him," she reminded him. "Funny way for someone to address his brother."

"Danny's always liked the tough guy image," Bill informed her. "He insisted on everyone calling him by our last name. Don't let him know that I told you his first name is Danny– he'd kill me."

"You don't look that much alike," Kate informed him, "for brothers, I mean."

The stranger shrugged. "I took after my mom, Danny took after my dad. At least, that's what mom always says."

_Except she's dead_, Kate thought, triumphant in catching him in his first concrete lie, _something you'd surely know if you were really Sawyer's brother.  
_

"Speaking of my baby brother," Bill continued, "I'd like to see him. Is he somewhere around here?"

"Yeah." Jack glanced over at Kate before continuing, "I'll go get him."

Kate followed him out of the tent until they were out of hearing range. "Jack, I don't trust that man. He's lying to us."

"How are we supposed to know that?" Jack inquired, glancing back toward the tent. "We don't know anything about Sawyer's past." He studied Kate. "Unless there's something you're not telling me?"

She was silent for a moment. "Just don't believe everything he says, all right?" Jack remained silent, and Kate sighed."I'm gonna keep an eye on him while you get Sawyer."

"Yeah, all right," Jack agreed, rubbing the back of his neck as he turned and disappeared into the night.

Kate reentered the tent, forcing a smile. "Jack will be right back with Saw– Danny." She stopped a few feet from him, hugging herself for warmth. "Is there anything I can get you?"

"I'd like to ask you a few questions, actually," Bill said, smiling at her. "Do you mind?"

"No, of course not." Kate ventured another step closer. "What do you want to know?"

Bill cocked his head, studying her. "How well do you know Danny, anyway? You two pretty good friends?"

"No one really knows Sawyer," Kate replied honestly. "He keeps mostly to himself."

Which wasn't entirely true. She and Sawyer had spent a good deal of time together, and she felt that out of everyone, she knew him best. But something about Bill's eyes kept her from confiding this information too soon. She wouldn't be party to giving him Sawyer's secrets.

His eyes were probing her; it was as though he could read her mind. "But I bet you and Danny have spent some time together. Pretty girl like you. Danny's always had a hard time staying away from pretty girls."

Kate shrugged. "I guess you could say we're friends." She cleared her throat, switching gears. "But I'm more interested in knowing about you. You said you were looking for us?"

"That's right," Bill returned.

She met his gaze evenly. "How did you know where to look? We were a thousand miles off course. No other rescue ships have come close to finding us. So how did you know where to go?"

He shrugged. "Lucky guess. Maybe it was brotherly intuition."

"Yeah," Kate returned, "maybe."

Jack and Sawyer appeared at the head of the tent, both looking rather wary. Kate tried to meet Sawyer's gaze but he ignored her, stepping up to Bill. "Well?" he said.

Bill laughed. "Danny, come on. Is that any way to treat your big brother?" He opened his arms expectantly.

Sawyer hesitated for a long moment, then hugged the other man, pulling away quickly. Bill merely smiled at him, motioning to Kate. "I was just having a chat with your friend here. She's pretty, Danny. One of the prettiest I've seen you with."

"Who?" Sawyer inquired curtly, and glanced briefly at Kate. "Oh. Her. We don't know each other all that well."

Kate looked at him, stung. He had just completely dismissed her, as though she was nothing to him. And he hadn't really looked at her since coming into the tent.

"All right, all right." Bill held up his hands. "No need to get testy. Aren't you even glad to see me, little brother?"

"I'm elated." Sawyer deadpanned. "Now wanna tell me what the hell you're doing here?"

"I came to rescue you, little brother." Bill informed him. "Everyone else told me you must be dead, but I wouldn't believe it. I knew if anyone could survive a plane crash, it would be you, Thatcher. Looks like I was right. Wasn't it lucky, me washing up on shore here?"

Sawyer's face remained impassive. "It's like I won the lottery."

Bill smiled at him. "After all this time apart, the two of us are finally face to face again. Don't worry, little brother, I'm not letting you out of my sight again."

"No, I imagine you won't." Sawyer cleared his throat. "Well, it's been a long day. I'm gonna get some shut eye. I suggest you do the same, Bill."

Bill regarded him for a moment, then nodded. "All right. But I want to catch up tomorrow, brother. As soon as I've regained my strength."

Sawyer turned to make his way out of the tent. Bill watched him for a moment, then looked to Kate. "You mind keeping watch over me tonight, sweetheart? I'm afraid if I fall asleep, I might never wake up. Concussion, and all."

It seemed to Kate that Sawyer paused, but it was so brief that it could have only been her imagination. Then he was gone. Troubled, she turned and forced a smile at Bill. "Of course. I'll keep a close watch on you, Bill– I promise." She smiled sweetly but allowed her words to have the appropriate undercurrent of menace.

He met her gaze, his eyes laughing. "Thanks a lot, sweetheart. I sure do appreciate it..."

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_To Be Continued_

I thrive on reviews. Don't make me starve!


	3. Freckles

**These Past Unpleasantries**

_Author_: Elizabeth5

_Disclaimer_: Neither the show nor the characters belong to me. Sadly.

_Author's Note_: I love readers that keep me on my toes. :) Thanks for all the reviews and keep on reviewin'!

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True to her word, Kate kept a watch over Bill the entire night. He was the model patient, never stirring from his makeshift bed. A couple of times, Kate almost nodded off, but pure willpower kept her going. Not only was she afraid of what Bill might to do Sawyer if she wasn't watching, but she was afraid of what Sawyer might do to Bill. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that their past together wasn't altogether pleasant, and she didn't know what lengths Sawyer might go to in order to hide his secrets.

Morning came without incident, and Kate stretched, walking out of the tent. She was surprised to see Jack dozing just outside, looking uncomfortable in a sitting position. He stirred as she approached. "Kate, hey. Is it morning?"

"Yeah." She pursed her lips, studying him. "What are you doing here, Jack?"

"I wanted to make sure you'd be all right," he confessed. "You're right about that guy, Kate. There's something off about him."

She glanced inside the tent, making certain Bill was still asleep, then looked back to Jack. "I don't think we should give him too much time alone. Especially not with Sawyer." She rubbed at her eyes. "I need to get some sleep, but maybe you can watch him for a while and then I can take the next shift...?"

Jack frowned at her. "I don't think that's such a good idea, Kate. Bill could be dangerous. You shouldn't get in the middle."

"So we should just let him go after Sawyer?" Kate didn't bother to hide the anger from her voice. "If you think I'm agreeing to that then you're seriously mistaken– "

"No, of course not." Jack interrupted. "I only meant...you should lay low. Let Sayid and me handle this."

She folded her arms. "Because you and Sayid have handled things with Sawyer so well before."

Jack let out a rush of air. "You know, if I didn't know better, Kate, I'd say you were emotionally invested in this." He watched for her reaction.

Kate shifted uncomfortably. "Of course I'm emotionally invested. Sawyer's my friend, Jack, and he's part of this group."

"Is that all?" he challenged.

Bill appeared at the head of the tent, rubbing his eyes and smiling at them. "Morning. I'm not interrupting something, am I?"

"We were just finishing," Kate informed him. She glanced briefly at Jack before returning her gaze to the stranger. "I'm gonna get some sleep, but maybe Jack can show you around camp and introduce you to some people."

Bill smiled. "Sure. Sounds great. Then maybe I can catch up with Danny."

_Not if I have anything to do with it_, Kate vowed.

She would leave things to Jack, for now. But as soon as she got some sleep, she was making it her personal mission not to let Bill out of sight.

Kate had almost made it to her bedroll when she saw a familiar figure coming up over the hill from the jungle. Sawyer. She turned, making her way toward him. "Sawyer, wait!"

He stopped, regarding her with an impassive face. "What is it, Kate?"

She stopped in her tracks. "Kate?" She'd never heard him call her anything but Freckles. "Sawyer, what is going on? Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sawyer said, continuing down toward the beach.

"Sawyer!" She called after him. He didn't stop. "Sawyer!" she tried again. When he still didn't acknowledge her, she attempted, "Thatcher!"

Sawyer tensed and turned slowly to regard her. "I'm really not in the mood right now."

She hurried across the sand, closing the distance between them. "Is that your real name? Daniel Thatcher?"

"I don't see that it's any of your business," he returned coldly. "Now if you'll excuse me…"

Kate followed after him. "If you think I ratted you out to Bill, you're wrong. He asked me some questions about you but I changed the subject. I know he's not your brother, Sawyer. He's dangerous and I'm not going to let him do anything to you– "

He whirled on her, eyes blazing. "Stay out of it! Just stay out of it!"

She took a step back, stunned by his response. "Sawyer, I'm trying to help you–"

"I don't want your help, all right!" Sawyer snapped. "Just stay out of it! We're not friends, we're not gonna be friends, so just back off!"

"What's going on over here?" Kate turned to see Jack and Bill approaching. Bill looked back and forth between them, openly curious. Kate glanced over at Sawyer in time to see him take a step away from her.

"Nothin'." Sawyer folded his arms. "We were just talking about the water supply, that's all." He met Bill's gaze evenly. "So, ready to catch up, big brother?" He offered a cold smile. "Why don't we go on a hike or something."

"Sounds good to me," Bill said.

They started toward the woods. Kate went after them, driven by pure desperation. She sensed that if Sawyer entered those woods with Bill, he would never come back. "I'm coming, too!"

Sawyer turned to her, his face darkening. "Dammit, Freckles, just stay out of it!"

The words hung in the air for a moment. Bill turned to Kate, an ugly sort of smile on his face. "Freckles?"

"Kate," Sawyer corrected quickly, "I meant Kate."

But Bill continued to smile, his gaze fixed firmly on Kate, a look of triumph in his eyes.

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Sawyer and Bill stared each other down for a moment. Bill still had that cocky smile on his face and it was taking all of Sawyer's energy not to kill him right then and there. "Why don't we take that walk now, brother," he said, his voice somehow coming out calm, "I know a nice little path in the woods."

"Sawyer, wait!" Kate intervened. "Why don't you two stay here on the beach? I'm sure we'd all like to get to know Bill a little better."

The knowing look was back in Bill's eyes. Sawyer could feel the bloodlust curdling inside of him. The man knew about his feelings for Kate. He'd tried to distance himself from her so she'd be out of danger, but the damn nickname had given him away. Freckles. Sawyer cursed himself inwardly. One slip-up and now Bill had the upper hand. He knew that Kate was his weakness. But if Bill so much as laid one finger on her...he'd kill him before he got the chance.

"Don't feel like sunbathing, Freckles," Sawyer said calmly, never letting his gaze leave Bill's face, "We're gonna take a walk in the woods, just me and my brother."

A thunderclap echoed through the air. Sawyer looked up, surprised to see the sky was overcast; he hadn't even noticed. A moment passed and then it was pouring down on them.

Kate's face flooded with relief. "You can't go out in this," she informed them. "The rain's too heavy. Come on, we have to find shelter."

"Kate's right," Jack spoke up. "Let's see if the wing's still holding up."

The four of them hurried across the beach to the plane wing, where the rest of the group had already assembled. Once underneath, Sawyer glanced over at Bill, a determination overcoming him. Some of the castaways approached Bill, questioning him about his arrival, and Sawyer took the opportunity to slip over to Locke, who was sharpening one of his knives on a stone.

"Hey, Colonel," Sawyer muttered, glancing over his shoulder to make certain Bill wasn't watching. "What do you want for that knife?"

Locke regarded him for a moment, then held out the knife to him. "It's yours, Mr. Sawyer. Free of charge."

Sawyer eyed him suspiciously. "What's the catch?"

"No catch," Locke returned, "just don't be afraid to use it when you get the chance. Or you'll regret it." His eyes left Sawyer's face. Sawyer followed his gaze to Kate, who was standing apart from the group, watching Bill carefully.

Sawyer looked back to Locke, a strange sense of foreboding overcoming him. "I won't." He hesitated, then added, "Thanks."

Slipping the knife into his back pocket, he moved to rejoin the group. A voice to his left stopped him. "What do you need the knife for, Sawyer?"

With a smirk, Sawyer turned to face Jack. "I'm thinking of whittling a bird, doc. Want me to make you one?"

"We don't need this kind of trouble, Sawyer," Jack informed him quietly.

Sawyer met his gaze evenly. "I know. That's why I'm gonna take care of it." He took in a deep breath, steeling himself. "But I'm gonna need your help."

Jack looked up, clearly taken aback. "You're asking for my help?"

"Don't get off on it or anything." Sawyer lowered his voice. "Yeah, fine, I need your help. There's no way Freckles is going to let me go off on my own with Bill. If she gets in the middle of this, she's gonna get hurt."

"If I didn't know you better," Jack returned, "I'd almost say you were concerned about her."

Sawyer wouldn't take the bait. "I need you to give us a head start. Fifteen minutes should do it, half an hour would be better. Long enough for me to get rid of our new problem."

"And why should I help you?" Jack inquired. "For all I know, this guy deserves to get his revenge on you."

"Because he won't just come after me," Sawyer said quietly.

Jack's eyes widened. "You mean...Kate?"

Sawyer looked at him meaningfully. "I have to take care of this. Now."

Jack hesitated, then nodded. "All right. As soon as the rain lets up, I'll give you the time you need. But make it clean, and keep it quiet."

"Right-o, doc." Sawyer glanced back at Bill, meeting his gaze.

He was ready.

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Kate was struggling to hang onto consciousness. After the night of watching Bill, she'd planned on catching up on sleep this morning, but circumstances had made that virtually impossible. Still, if she wanted to be able to keep up with Bill and Sawyer, she knew she'd need at least some rest.

"Hey, Kate."

She turned, offering Jack a tired smile. "Hey, Jack."

"Wild day, huh?" He turned, inspecting her. "Hey, are you okay? You look kind of tired."

Kate shrugged. "Funny side effect of getting no sleep, I guess." She yawned. "But someone has to keep an eye on Sawyer."

Jack cleared his throat. "Well, I can do that for you. Go on, get some sleep, Kate. You need to take care of yourself."

She looked at him uncertainly. "I don't know, Jack. I know you and Sawyer have never really had a love fest going on."

"I don't like him," Jack admitted, "but I like you. If you want me to do this, I will."

"Thank you, Jack." She smiled at him gratefully. "I'll be right over there in the corner. Just wake me up if the rain lets up or if Bill and Sawyer start to leave. All right?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah. Sure."

Kate hesitated, searching his face. "Promise me, Jack."

A beat, and then, "I promise, Kate."

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_To Be Continued_

I thrive on reviews. Don't make me starve!


	4. Close Calls

**These Past Unpleasantries**

_Author_: Elizabeth5

_Disclaimer_: I own neither the characters nor the show. Sadly.

_Author's Note_: I love my reviewers! :)

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Kate awoke with a start, a heavy sense of foreboding resting in the pit of her stomach. It took her a moment to remember why she was sleeping underneath the plane wing, and a moment longer to realize that it was no longer raining and the crowd had dispersed. She rose to her feet, searching intently for any sign of Jack, Sawyer, or Bill.

Finally, she spotted Jack sitting on a rock, staring out at the ocean. She ran toward him, her heart beating painfully in her chest. "Where are they?" she demanded.

Jack didn't even look over at her. "They left about twenty minutes ago, Kate. I have no idea where they are by now."

She stared at him, barely able to comprehend the words. "How could you?" she spat finally. "How could you do this, Jack? I trusted you!"

"It had to be done." He looked over at her finally, his face full of compassion. "I'm sorry Kate, really. But there was no other way."

She met his gaze coldly. "If anything happens to him, I'll hate you forever." With that said, she turned and plunged into the jungle, well aware that Jack was still watching her.

Once she was outside of his view, sufficiently lost among the trees of the jungle, she stopped, leaning against one of the tree trunks to collect herself. She had no idea where Sawyer would have gone or what was happening at that moment. Tears of frustration and terror began to pool in her eyes.

"Sawyer," she whispered aloud, "where are you?"

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About fifteen minutes into the hike, Sawyer stopped, folding his arms. Bill continued on for a few steps and finally noticed the other man was no longer beside him. "What's the matter, little brother?" he inquired, breathing heavily. "You aren't getting tired already, are you?"

Sawyer spread out his hands. "I'm tired of the games, Bill. Let's do this thing, right now."

Bill nodded, taking a few steps toward him. When he was about a foot away, he made as though to come after Sawyer. Sawyer moved back instinctively but Bill merely laughed. "Relax, Thatcher. I'm not here to kill you."

"You're not?" Sawyer returned skeptically.

"That was the plan, at first," Bill admitted, "but you know me, Thatcher. Go for the pain first, then the kill. Certain circumstances have given me a much better idea."

Sawyer kept his face blank. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Kate," Bill said simply, "or should I say Freckles?" He laughed, brushing an insect from his shirt. "She's hot, Sawyer. Leave it to a guy like you to end up stranded on a desert island with a fox like that. But you've always had great survival instincts."

He needed to change the subject, and quick. "How did you find me, Bill?"

Bill shrugged. "Honestly, I don't really know. We heard your plane went down and I decided I'd check things out for myself, make sure it was true. Funny thing was, one night as we went to bed on the boat we were in one spot, and the next morning we were about seven hundred miles off course. Just like that. No explanation. It was like magic. Then the boat sank and...here I am. In the flesh. Lucky break if you ask me."

"Don't know that you'll hold that opinion too long," Sawyer warned.

Bill laughed at this. "You think you're gonna take me, Thatcher? I'd like to see you try."

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't." Sawyer shrugged nonchalantly. "But I'm willing to bet at least one person on this island can. And even if they don't, this jungle'll take you out eventually. You were right, Bill. There's something magic about this place. And not all of it's good."

A moment passed as Bill pondered this. "You're trying to scare me," he said finally.

Sawyer shrugged. "Believe me or not. But I don't suggest being out in the open at night."

They squared off for a moment. Bill laughed to ease the tension. "Well, looks like we're stuck here together. Who knows? Maybe we can even learn to live in peace. I mean, everyone thinks we're brothers after all. Maybe we should live like brothers." He met Sawyer's gaze meaningfully. "I mean, we shared everything like brothers before. Maybe it's time we started sharing again."

"What do you mean?" Sawyer was almost afraid to ask.

"What do you think I mean?" Bill returned, smiling. "Freckles. She really is something, Thatcher. Definitely my type. I'll bet she puts up a good fight. She's probably a squirmer. But as soon as you get her underneath you, her hands tied behind her back, she's one wild ride, I guarantee it– "

And there was the motivation he needed. Sawyer closed his hand over the handle of the knife on his back pocket, ready to plunge it into Bill's gut. But as he began to withdraw the blade, Sawyer hesitated. He'd done some horrible things in his life, but never murder. Could he really bring himself to take a human life?

Yes. For her, he could.

Just as Sawyer was about to pull out the knife, he heard footsteps approaching and turned in time to see Kate breaking through the foliage, out of breath and clearly in a frenzy. She looked back and forth between Sawyer and Bill then gave a sigh of relief.

"I told you I would come along," she reminded Sawyer, her tone accusatory, "why didn't you wait for me?"

If Sawyer hadn't been so pissed off, he might have been touched by Kate's heartfelt attempts to save him. As it was, he couldn't help but rage at her silently. He was doing this for her— to protect her— and she kept getting in the way.

"Sorry, sweetheart," Bill said smoothly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "you just looked so peaceful sleeping there that we didn't want to wake you." He leaned in closer to her. "What were you dreamin' about anyway, darlin'? Anything interesting?"

Kate tried to pull back but Bill's grip was too strong. Impulsively, Sawyer reached forward and took her wrist, pulling her to him. Kate clung to him gratefully.

"I need a word alone with Freckles here," said Sawyer calmly, "think you can find your way back, Bill?"

Bill smiled at him, goading him silently. "Yeah, sure, brother. Take your time." He turned and headed back in the direction Kate had just come from.

When Sawyer was sure Bill was gone, he turned to Kate. "Freckles, you are really starting to try my patience."

Kate pulled away from him, folding her arms. "Better to have you angry than dead."

Sawyer leaned in so that his face was only inches away. "I don't think you understand what's going on here. This isn't a game. Now let me handle my business."

"And what if you get hurt?" Kate demanded. "What if he kills you, Sawyer?"

Sawyer tilted his head to the side, studying her. "Why, Freckles, I do believe you care about me."

She took in a sharp breath, steadying herself. "Of course I care about you! Do you think I would stand by and let any of my friends be killed?"

Sawyer moved in half a centimeter closer. "Is that what we are, Freckles? Friends?"

The question had clearly thrown her off guard. She took a step back. "We're friends, Sawyer. You know that."

He shook his head. "I don't think so. You're _friends_ with Charlie, Freckles. You're friends with Claire, and Boone, and Hurley. We're not friends."

It might have been his imagination, but it seemed as though she was trembling ever so slightly. "Well, since you seem to know all the answers," she challenged, "then what are we?"

Sawyer's response was to kiss her.

They'd kissed once before, when Sawyer was being tortured by Sayid and Jack, but it hadn't beendiscussed since then out of an unspoken mutual agreement between the two. Still, that hadn't kept Sawyer from thinking about it, dreaming about it. It had started out as just another way to get under Kate' skin, but instead the reverse had happened; from that point on, he'd found that he was losing himself to her. She was taking hold over him, and he was letting her.

But that was nothing in comparison to this. This was a no holds barred, pure bliss, hands tangled in clothing and hair kind of kiss. Sawyer knew that he should be concentrating on how to get Kate out of the way so he could take care of Bill, but he found that the only conscious impulse he could follow was to get closer to her and intensify their already heated kiss.

By the time they broke apart, both were flushed and breathing heavily. Undaunted by this, Sawyer moved in for a second round, but Kate held up a hand, stopping him. "Wait," she instructed, "wait."

Sawyer stepped back, running a hand through his hair and taking a moment to compose himself. "Right," he said curtly, "sorry." Not wanting her to see how much she had affected him, he offered a sneering sort of smile. "Don't worry, Freckles. I won't be spreadin' any rumors. What happens in the jungle stays in the jungle."

A look of surprise crossed Kate's face, and then she looked away. "Okay. Thanks." She was silent for a moment, and then started, "Sawyer, I-- "

But he didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to hear that she could never care for him because her heart belonged to the doc. He knew he was the odd man out in this situation, that they were bound to end up happily ever after and he was the one who was doomed to be bitter and alone. But he didn't have to hear it.

"Don't worry about it," he said briskly. "Come on. Let's get back to camp. We don't want Bill to stray too far…"

They walked back in silence, keeping a careful distance between them. By the time they made it back to the beach, Bill had a group around him and was apparently regaling them with some outrageously funny story. Sawyer watched him for a moment before he realized that someone, in turn, was watching him. Slowly, he turned to see Locke seated under a palm tree about twenty yards away, his gaze tracked steadfastly on him. As Sawyer met his gaze, he felt a chill run through him. _Don't be afraid to use it_, Locke had said, referring to the knife he had given Sawyer, _or you'll regret it_.

But it wasn't too late, Sawyer reasoned with himself. He'd find a chance to put Bill out of commission. And he wouldn't hesitate then.

"Kate, Sawyer!"

Sawyer turned to see Jack jogging up to them. "What happened out there?"

Kate met Jack's gaze coldly. "Like it matters to you."

Jack looked to her imploringly. "Kate…"

"I'm going to take a swim," Kate interrupted, pushing past Jack. She paused in front of Sawyer, briefly meeting his gaze. "Don't do anything while I'm gone," she said quietly, "Please."

With that said, she was gone. Jack turned to Sawyer, his dark eyes bitter. "Well, I hope you're happy. Not only did you not take care of our problem, but now Kate's probably never going to trust me again."

Sawyer rolled his eyes. "You're right, doc. You've got all the problems. I don't know how you cope." He wanted to leave it at that and let the doc stew for a little bit, but suddenly there was this damn conscience nagging him. For some reason, it sounded oddly like Kate.

With a resolved sigh, Sawyer added, "Aw, don't worry about her. I'll explain what happened, let her know you were just keepin' a promise."

Jack blinked at him in surprise, then offered him an expression that was almost friendly. "All right. Thanks."

"Don't get all Full House on me," Sawyer returned uncomfortably. He glanced around making sure no one was within hearing range. "Besides, we still have a problem to take care of."

Jack nodded in agreement. "We'll have to work something new out. Even if Kate forgives me, she still isn't going to trust me for a while."

They both sat stewing over it for a moment. Jack cleared his throat. "Maybe we could talk to Locke, get him to take care of Bill for us-- "

"No." Sawyer said firmly. "That part I handle myself." There was a long moment of silence, during which Jack studied him curiously. Sawyer rolled his eyes. "You got something you wanna ask me, Doc?"

Jack took the bait. "What happened between you and Bill?"

"Wrong question," Sawyer returned easily, "but if you want to know my favorite color, it's green."

Jack shook his head. "Do you ever get tired of being a jerk?"

Sawyer merely laughed. "Now you're starting to sound like Freckles."

At the mention of her name, he tensed, realizing that she was nowhere in sight, and-- more disturbingly-- that Bill wasn't either. Half-panicked, Sawyer pushed past Jack, searching desperately for any sign of Kate. "Where is she?"

"She said she was going swimming," Jack reminded him, searching the water. "But I don't see her anywhere."

"Dammit," Sawyer muttered, and took off running down the beach.

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Kate glanced over her shoulder, making sure no one was in sight before peeling off her outer clothes and wading into the water. It was cold against her skin, refreshingly brisk. Swimming always helped to clear her mind, make things a little more black and white.

But try as she might, she could not make sense of her current situation with Sawyer. One minute he was completely ignoring her, the next abandoning her, then he was kissing her, and then he was back to ignoring her. The man was infuriatingly complex.

Inadvertently, her mind wandered back to the kiss. That _kiss_. Never before had she experienced anything so completely consuming. She wasn't just attracted to Sawyer; she ached for him. The more contact she had with him, the more addicted she became. It was becoming difficult to view things logically anymore.

_Jack is the right choice_, she repeated the familiar mantra in her mind.

But lately, she wasn't so certain. His act of betrayal that day had stung her deeply. She suspected that there was something that had motivated him to lie to her, but the fact of the matter was that he had still lied to her. If she couldn't trust Jack then who was there to trust?

_You can trust Sawyer_, came a teasing little voice in her mind, one that sounded oddly Southern.

It was true that Sawyer was always honest with her— sometimes more than she wanted— but could she really trust him? Sometimes it seemed as though he genuinely cared for her, and then there were other times, like today after they kissed… Was she just another notch to be added to his belt?

But then there was the way he kissed her. There was certainly nothing shallow about that.

"Penny for your thoughts."

Kate turned in surprise to see Bill standing on the shore, watching her. Instinctively, she covered herself in the water, an unpleasant chill coursing through her body at the sight of him. "What are you doing here?" she inquired, more nervously than she'd intended.

Bill merely smiled. "Thought I'd join you. Is that all right?"

Kate deliberated on this for a moment. On the one hand, the thought of being alone with Bill terrified her. But on the other, she didn't want to let him know how much he unnerved her.

The thought process turned out to be unnecessary as Bill took off his shirt and entered the water uninvited. He smiled as he waded out to her, never breaking eye contact. "I've been wanting to spend some more time with you alone," he confided, stopping about three feet from her. "Danny's been telling me so much about you."

Kate regarded him warily. "Has he?"

Bill nodded. "Oh, yeah. He says you're a pretty fiery little thing underneath that hostile exterior."

"Is that so?"

"Yep," Bill continued, "he says you're a good kisser, too. He especially likes that little panting noise you make. Says it really gets his motor running."

Kate remained silent.

"How does it go again?" Bill ventured a little bit closer. "Is it a short, shallow breath kind of thing, or do you make little moans?" He eyes her over suggestively. "I'll bet you're a moaner."

Kate drew away from him. "I'm not really comfortably with this--"

Bill continued on as though he hadn't heard her. "So this noise you make— is it only when you kiss or is it whenever you get excited?" He leered at her openly. "I'm kind of curious to find out."

Before she could move, he grabbed her and pulled her up against him. "There," he cooed, "that's better." Kate struggled against him, surprised at how strong his grip was.

"Stop it," she commanded, trying to keep her voice even.

But her attempts to get away only made Bill laugh. "Come on, sweetheart," he urged, "don't you want to stay and play for a while?"

"Kate."

They both looked up to see Sayid standing at the shore. At the cold look in his eyes, Bill released Kate and stepped away from her.

Sayid's face never changed expression. "I need your help with the transmitter," he said, "can you come?"

Trembling, Kate made her way toward Sayid, aware that Bill was watching her the entire time. When she reached the shore, Sayid bent down and grabbed her clothes with one hand, taking her elbow with the other and silently guiding her away.

When they rounded the corner, Sayid dropped her elbow and looked at her in concern. "Are you all right, Kate? Was I right to intervene?"

Kate nodded quickly, struggling to halt the trembling of her body and the tears that pooled in her eyes. "Yeah," she managed finally, "Thank you, Sayid."

Suddenly, Jack and Sawyer appeared, both looking worried. At the sight of Kate with Sayid, they relaxed visibly. "There you are," said Jack, "we were looking for you everywhere…" He stopped at the sight of tears in Kate's eyes. "What happened?"he demanded.

Kate struggled to find her voice, to reassure them she was fine, but nothing came to her. She looked away finally, blinking.

"I found her in the water," Sayid interjected. "She was with the stranger, Bill, and it appeared that he was forcing himself on her, though I'm not quite certain."

Jack looked to Kate for confirmation. "Kate?"

And suddenly it was too much. Unable to stop herself, a sob escaped Kate's throat, then another, then another as she hugged herself for warmth. It was only then that it occurred to her that she was standing in her underwear in front of three men and that she should probably be embarrassed. Continuing to cry, Kate took her clothes from Sayid's hands and half-heartedly attempted to shield herself, not knowing what else to do.

Finally, when her tears had subsided somewhat, she looked up to see Sayid and Jack communicating silently with one another, obviously trying to figure out what they should do. Reluctantly, she turned her gaze to Sawyer. Some irrational part of her mind was afraid that he would be upset with her for putting herself in harm's way or annoyed with her for crying.  
Instead, she was stunned at the look on his face. It was pure and untainted rage, such as she'd never seen before. Anger practically emanated from his body; his limbs were tensed, ready for an attack.

"That's it," he said finally, his voice low and devoid of its usual pleasant casualness, "This thing ends. Tonight."

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_To Be Continued..._

I thrive on reviews. Don't make me starve!


	5. In the Jungle

**These Past Unpleasantries**

_Author_: Elizabeth5

_Disclaimer_: I own neither the show nor the characters. Sadly.

_Author's Note_: I have received some very, very sweet reviews. Thanks for all the support.

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Sawyer sat facing the ocean, a knife in his hands, his fingers slowly tracing over the blade. The beach was silent, serene. To an outside observer, Sawyer probably very much appeared to match the tranquil setting.

But inside his was raging.

An image kept popping into his mind, of Kate sobbing because of what Bill had done to her. She wouldn't discuss the details of it, but Sawyer could very well imagine. A darkness blacker than anything he had ever known was settling in his chest, and it would only be alleviated when he took his revenge.

Sawyer had known hate before. He had spent his entire life trying to find the man who was responsible for the deaths of his parents. He had thought that there was no deeper level of hatred that he could reach than this.

But that was a shallow grudge in comparison to what he was feeling now. Logically, he could reason that his parents had been at least partially responsible for what had happened to him. His mother hadn't been forced to sleep with the confidence man; his father hadn't been forced to kill her and then take his own life. But Kate had done nothing to deserve what happened to her. Bill had hurt her to compensate for something that Sawyer had done; he had made Sawyer responsible for hurting Kate by extension.

What frightened him the most, though, was that he knew Bill wouldn't let it go at that. He wouldn't call it even because he'd groped Kate and scared her a little. He, too, was looking for revenge, and his appetite wouldn't be satiated until Kate was dead. Sawyer couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't.

Sayid approached, his face characteristically unreadable. He met Sawyer's gaze. "Bill just went into the jungle," he informed him, "he was headed south."

"All right." Sawyer rose to his feet.

"Jack and I will watch the perimeter of the forest to make certain he doesn't try to sneak back in," Sayid continued, and added, "Hurley will watch Kate."

"Sounds like a plan, Aladin." Sawyer returned, although there was no real malice in his words. Funny thing was, he was actually starting to like Sayid, and even Jack, though he probably wouldn't be alive long enough for it to matter.  
He started for the jungle then hesitated. "Sayid, if I don't…" But he couldn't finish the rest.

Sayid's dark eyes were full of understanding."I will finish it for you," he said, "she will be safe."

Sawyer nodded, unable to say much more. Taking his cue, Sayid headed off to man his position at the perimeter of the jungle. Sawyer would follow behind momentarily. But first there was one last thing he had to take care of.

As he approached the tent where Kate was being guarded, he could hear heated voices coming from inside. "…absolutely ridiculous! I'm not some damsel that everyone has to protect."

Sawyer smiled to himself. Kate.

Another, deeper voice met her in response. "I know you can take care of yourself," said Hurley, ever the diplomat, "I'm just taking orders."

Sawyer chose this moment to step into the tent, smiling with a carelessness that he didn't quite feel. "Well, I'm going out, Freckles. Anything you want me to pick up for you while I'm gone?"

"Sawyer!" She hurried over to him. "You can't go out there after him."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I can't?"

Kate met his gaze imploringly. "He's gone now. Maybe he'll leave us alone."

Sawyer's grin faltered. "I'd like to believe that, Freckles. Really, I would. But this guy's been trailin' me for four years. It's time to put an end to it."

"Sawyer…" He could see the desperation in her eyes, hear it in her voice. "If you go in there, you might not come back."

He forced a smile, for her sake. " 'Course I will. You think this is the first time someone's been out for my blood? I always come out on top." He winked at her roguishly. "Just remember that for later."

She forced a smile in return, but he could tell he wasn't convinced. With a sigh, Sawyer glanced up at the sky. It was almost sunset. He'd have to move quickly.

"Well, Freckles," he said, looking into her eyes for what might be the last time, "It's been fun." There was so much more he wanted to say, so much more he wanted to do, but damn if it wasn't hard to break down those walls he'd been building up for so many years. Instead he merely smiled at her.

As he turned to go, Kate grabbed him abruptly and kissed him. It was such an unexpected thing that Sawyer fell back a step but quickly recovered and wrapped an arm around her firmly. Sawyer knew that Hurley was watching them, and probably with a look of shock on his face, but he couldn't care. One last kiss. It was poetic, in a way.

Kate pulled back finally and leaned in closer to him, so that her lips were almost touching his ear. "Don't go," she murmured, "stay here, with me."

Sawyer was baited, despite himself. "What about the doc?" he inquired.

Kate shook her head. "He doesn't matter. He's not the one I… Stay. Please."

It was her last ditch effort, and it was a good one. Still, Sawyer found himself disengaging from her and stepping back, a regretful smile on his face. "It would have been nice," he said, then turned and walked away.

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It was about fifteen minutes later that Kate emerged from the tent, glancing over her shoulder to make certain that no one had seen. Satisfied, she hurried toward the jungle, quickly submerging herself in the trees.

She had to find Sawyer. He was in serious danger— she could feel it. He wouldn't come out on top. Not this time.

Suddenly, there was a rustling behind her and then someone had grabbed her roughly around the waist and thrown her against the trunk of a tree. She gasped out in pain, her eyes settling on her attacker.

"Jack?" she inquired, stunned.

Jack looked up at her in surprise, his mind taking a moment to register that it was her. "Kate? What are you doing out here— I thought you were with Hurley?"

She avoided his gaze. "He's, uh…a little preoccupied right now."

Jack's eyes narrowed. "What did you do to him?"

Shrugging, Kate moved away from him. "You know. Knocked him out, tied him up. Nothing he won't recover from in an hour or so."

"Kate." Jack shook his head. "You can't be out here. Sawyer, Sayid, and I are handling this."

"You don't understand!" Kate insisted. "Sawyer's in trouble. He needs my help."

"Then let one of us go," Jack insisted. "You don't always have to go to his rescue."

Kate pushed past him. "Jack, let me go-- "

He grabbed her arm, and there was a desperation in his eyes that she'd never seen before. "Is it because you have feelings for him, Kate? Are you in love with him?"

Kate took a step back, stunned. "I can't believe this," she murmured, "you won't let me help him because you're jealous?"

Jack met her gaze sharply. "That's not what this is about," he insisted. "The jungle is too dangerous right now, Kate, especially for you."

"We don't have time for personal vendettas," Kate reminded him, "Sawyer could be dying right now."

"You didn't answer my question," Jack returned. "Are you in love with him?"

Kate took a step back. "I don't have time for this." She looked down at the ground, unable to meet his gaze. "Sorry about this, Jack."

Before Jack could respond, she had grabbed a fallen tree limb and clubbed him over the head, hard. Jack let out a little moan before slipping to the ground.

Kate leaned down to make certain he wasn't bleeding too heavily, then straightened determinedly.

It was time to find Sawyer.

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It seemed he'd been searching for hours though it couldn't have been more than forty-five minutes. Sawyer walked through the jungle guardedly, his eyes trained on the foliage around him. His senses were on full alert, braced for any sort of attack. Twice, he'd almost tackled a bird. Still, there was no Bill in sight.

Suddenly, there was a roar and then a blur of movement rushed toward him, tackling him to the ground. Bill got in three good punches before Sawyer kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying backward. The two men hurriedly scrambled to their feet, facing off with one another.

"Well, brother," Bill said, smiling through his pain, "looks like we're back in the jungle again. Right where we belong, eh?"

"This has been a long time coming," Sawyer agreed.

Bill spread his hands, laughing. "So now you're gonna kill me, huh? Is this about your little girlfriend? 'Cuz I didn't touch her…much. Don't worry, though. I will."

Sawyer glared at the other man. "Not on my life," he vowed.

Bill tilted his head to the side, studying him. "You know," he said, "I don't think you can really do it. I don't think you can kill me."

"Try me," Sawyer growled.

"You ever taken a human life before?" Bill challenged. "It's messy. But you remember that. And it sure does haunt you. I can still hear my sweet Carla calling out to me, begging for me to stop. But then, you remember that, too, don't you Thatcher?"

Sawyer remained silent.

Bill took another step forward, his hands held helplessly to his sides. "Come on, Thatcher. Let's see if you're man enough. Do it if you're gonna. Kill me."

In a flash, the knife was out of Sawyer's pocket. He plunged it into Bill's stomach, hearing the satisfying thunk as it hit flesh. Bill stared at him in open surprise, trying to formulate words, but there was too much blood running from his mouth. He fell down to the ground and didn't move.

Trembling, Sawyer reached down and felt Bill's neck. No pulse. He knew he should take the knife and give it back to Locke, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. The thought of pulling it from the corpse…

_It had to be done_, he told himself. _It had to be done_.

He made his way back toward the camp, stopping at a small creek to wash the blood from his hands. He'd stopped trembling by now and was practicing the stoic face he would need when he met Kate and the others again. Kate was not going to be happy. But at least she'd be alive.

"Sawyer?" He turned in surprise, wondering if he'd really heard the voice or if he was just imagining it. But there was Kate, her hair messy, her face clearly troubled. She stared at him for a long moment and then rushed to him. Sawyer braced himself for her to attack, but instead she wrapped her arms around him firmly. Taken by surprise, it took him a moment to remember to return the hug.

"I thought you were dead!" she whispered into his chest. She pulled back, and suddenly her eyes were furious. She shoved at him with little effect. "Don't you ever do that to me again!"

"Sorry Freckles," he said, and meant it, "there wasn't any way around it."

Kate took a moment to process this and then glanced around, her face clearly troubled. "Where's Bill?" She met Sawyer's gaze and a look of understanding dawned in her eyes. She looked away, pressing her eyes shut. "Oh, Sawyer."

"There wasn't any way around it," he repeated.

Kate was silent for a moment, and then she nodded. "All right." But when she looked up at him, her face was still troubled. "Why was he looking for you, Sawyer? What happened between you?"

He let out a short breath of air, wondering how much he should tell her. But if there was anyone he could trust, it was Kate. "Well," he said finally, "he was supposed to be one of the routine jobs. I slept with his wife, then I was gonna take his money." He shook his head. "But then things got real messy real fast."

"What do you mean?" Kate inquired.

"Turns out he found out about me and his wife," Sawyer explained, "but instead of confronting her, he waited until I was there."

Kate felt her mouth running dry. "And?"

Sawyer's hands began trembling. "He killed her. In front of me. And then he came after me."

Kate covered her mouth with one hand, too horrified to speak.

"I got out of there as fast as I could," Sawyer said quickly, the words tumbling out now, "I couldn't call the police because then they'd get me for all the other things I'd done. I thought maybe it would end there. But every few months he'd show up again and I'd have to do some real fancy work to get away. He'd just caught up with me in Australia when I left..."

There was a moment of silence. Kate reached out to him, taking his hand to stop the shaking. "It's over now," she said quietly. "I won't tell anyone."

But Sawyer was still trembling. "I'm not a good person, Freckles. I could have stopped that a long time ago, but I didn't. 'Cuz I was worried about myself. His wife's blood is on my hands, and anyone else he hurt. I couldn't let you be one of those people."

"Sawyer– "

"If anything had happened to you..." He shook his head. "I'm only gonna bring you trouble, Freckles. I poison everything that I touch."

He expected her to walk away from him, to drop his hand and leave. That was what any normal woman would have done. But Kate was not like any other woman.

Her lips brushed first against his forehead, then one cheek, then the other. They were sweet little butterfly kisses, innocent and soft, meant to sooth. They traveled to his nose next, and then finally rested upon his lips. The first kiss was light, sweet. Then she pressed herself against him, her mouth working urgently against his own. Amazed, Sawyer kissed her in return, his arms wrapping gratefully around her waist.

"Well, well, well. Isn't that sweet?"

Kate's grip on Sawyer tightened painfully, and they both looked up to see Bill standing in front of them, smiling. Sawyer felt a wave of horror wash over him. "That's not possible...I killed you!"

"You mean with this?" Bill looked down at the knife then reached in and pulled it out with one swift motion. "Funny thing is, I think you're right about this island, Thatcher. There's something magical here. Looks like I just can't die."

Sawyer started toward him, but Bill pulled a gun from his pocket, aiming it toward his chest. "Now, now, little brother. I was gonna do this the nice way. I thought we might even be friends. But if you want to play it this way..." His gaze went to Kate, and he smiled. "I wondered how I was going to get her away from the group without anyone noticing, but it looks like you've solved that problem for me, Thatcher. So I guess she has you to thank– "

Sawyer pushed Kate behind him. "Run!" he instructed.

But it was too late. The gun went off, cracking loudly in the empty jungle.

Sawyer felt the slam of the impact into his chest and fell to the ground, incapacitated. The last thing he was aware of before passing out was Kate screaming, and then there was darkness.

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_To Be Continued..._

I thrive on reviews. Don't make me starve!


	6. Kill Bill

**These Past Unpleasantries**

_Author_: Elizabeth5

_Disclaimer_: I own neither the show nor the characters. Sadly.

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A steady throbbing was the first thing to assault Sawyer's senses as he woke. The next was that his wrists were bound and that he was propped up against some sort of tree. Memories of being tortured by Jack and Sayid flooded his mind; but weeks had passed since then. As his memory finally wrapped around the events of the afternoon, his eyes widened in panic. "Kate?"

"Don't worry." Bill came into view, carrying a bound and gagged Kate. Her face was stained with tears but she seemed otherwise unharmed. "The whole gang's here, Thatcher, just waiting for you to wake up. I didn't want you to miss the show."  
Sawyer felt overwhelmingly sluggish and drained. "What's wrong with me?" he inquired.

"You got shot in the chest, little brother," Bill reminded him. "It isn't a fatal wound, but you are bleeding pretty badly. It'll probably take you a few hours yet to drain. But don't worry– I've heard it's a slow and painful death." Bill let his words sink in, then continued, "But what to do to pass the time? I know." He pushed Kate in front of him, forcing her to the ground. "How about Freckles?"

"Don't..." Sawyer began, but he was finding it difficult to speak.

Bill cupped a hand over his ear. "What's that, Thatcher? I can't quite hear you. Sounded almost like you said 'don't'. But that's ridiculous. We're brothers, remember? We share everything."

Sawyer mustered what little strength he could. "She's not...a part of this. Let her go."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Bill returned, moving so that he was standing over Kate. "You see, I'm a curious man, and your little nickname has me wondering. Freckles. Do you only have those freckles on your face, sweetheart, or are they other places, too?" He bent down over her ominously.

"Stop," Sawyer begged, struggling vainly to free his hands.

Bill seemed to consider this. "You have a point. This isn't right." He grabbed Kate by the wrists, positioning her so that her back was propped up against a rock and her face was in clear view to Sawyer. Bill smiled at him maliciously. "It just isn't any fun if you can't see her eyes."

Sawyer met her gaze, trying to communicate all of his regrets and apologies to her in that glance. He wouldn't give Bill the satisfaction of hearing it out loud.

"And the final touch..." Bill removed the gag from Kate's mouth, smiling at her. "Personally, my favorite part is the screaming."

"Let me go," Kate commanded, though the trembling in her voice made it hardly daunting.

"Relax, sugar," Bill soothed, "this is the easy part for you. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. I promise your death will be quick and painless, unlike Don Juan over here."

Kate met his gaze determinedly. "The others will be looking for us. We've been gone a long time. When they find us, they'll know what you did."

Bill laughed aloud at this. "You know, that is the truth, my dear. Guess I just won't go back. But this jungle doesn't seem like too bad of a place to live. I got food, shelter, and when I get bored, I'll go grab one of the girls. That blonde one looked like she'd be good for a test drive. And I've always wanted to do a pregnant girl."

His hands reached for the front of Kate's shirt. "Now, enough talk. Let's get this party started. I wouldn't want Thatcher to die before he gets to watch me kill his girlfriend."

Kate pressed her eyes shut, but not before Sawyer could see the naked terror in them. "Stop!" he cried suddenly, with all of the energy he could muster.

Bill turned back to him slowly, smiling. "What was that, Danny-boy?"

"Stop," he repeated, "please. I'll do anything."

Slowly, Bill made his way over so that he was standing in front of Sawyer. "I wish I could, brother," Bill said quietly, "but there's got to be an eye for an eye. I loved my wife. We were gonna have a family together, and a future. Then you came in and stole that all away. You made me kill her. I watched the woman I loved die right in front of me, because of you. And now you're gonna do the same."

With that said, he turned and advanced on Kate once more. She tried to thrash at him, but her arms and legs were bound, and it was a mostly futile gesture.

"Stop!" Sawyer cried again, not knowing what else to do. "Stop!"

In the woods, there was a low rumbling.

Sawyer and Kate snapped to attention as the nearby trees began to rattle. Bill seemed oblivious to the sound, his face twisted in delight at his own perversion. "Well, well, well," he cried, "look at the freckles I've found!"

"Quiet," Kate instructed.

Bill smiled at her suggestively. "Is that your thing, sweetheart? 'Cuz it's kind of kinky."

"I'm serious," Kate hissed, "be quiet. Can't you hear it?"

"Better listen to the lady," Sawyer warned quietly, struggling to hold onto consciousness, "that is one mean beasty."

The snapping of the trees was getting closer and closer. Bill looked back and forth between them uncertainly. "You're kidding, right? You expect me to believe there's some kind of dinosaur or something on this island?"

He picked up his gun from the ground, marching toward the forest. Kate looked as though she was about to call after him but clamped her mouth shut. She met Sawyer's gaze, filled with a mixture of fear and hope.

In the nearby cluster of trees, they could hear Bill's voice floating back to them. "Is that some big bad monster out there? Come on! Show me your worst!"

The roar of the creature was nearly upon them. Sawyer and Kate held each other's gaze, silent, waiting.

There was a crackling in the woods, then a scream of terror and a horrible splattering noise. Kate pressed her eyes shut, and Sawyer let his own eyelids droop out of relief. He waited until the noises had stopped and then opened his eyes tentatively. "Is it still there?"

"I think it's gone," Kate whispered back.

They waited a moment longer to be certain, and then Kate began to inch her way toward him. "Do you see anything I can cut the ropes with?"

"The knife," Sawyer said tiredly, "it's right by your feet." His head lolled forward and he struggled to open his eyes again. When he finally found the strength, Kate was free of her bonds and was hurrying to do the same for him. He felt the release of the ropes on his wrists and fell forward with nothing left to support him.

"Sawyer!" Kate took his head gently and rested it in her lap. There were tears pooling down her cheeks. Her fingers brushed over the bloodstain on his chest. "Is it bad?"

"Not too bad, Freckles," he assured her, reaching up to grasp her hand. "But I'm having a hard time staying awake."

She was silent for a moment. "Sawyer," she said finally, "I need to go back to camp and get some help. I can't carry you by myself."

He knew that her words were rational, but something about bleeding to death in a jungle of mystery made him a little less than logical. "Don't leave me alone," he whispered, "They'll find us, eventually. I don't wanna be out here alone."

In response, she kissed the top of his head and brushed the hair from his face. "Okay," she murmured. "I'll stay. But we have to find something to stop the bleeding…"

A moment later, he heard his shirt ripping. Sawyer gave a lopsided grin. "Freckles, really, now isn't the time."

Ignoring him, Kate pressed the cloth down against the wound. "There, that's better," she murmured. "Is there anything you need?"

"Yeah," he said, smiling up at her, "you can sing for me."

She laughed through her tears, shaking her head. "Trust me, no one wants to hear that."

"It can't be that bad."

"Remember, you asked for this." Clearing her throat, she began. "Bye bye Miss American Pie, drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry, and good ol' boys are drinking whisky and rye singin' this'll be the day that I die, this'll be the day that I die."

She stopped, waiting for some sort of response. Sawyer couldn't help but laugh. "Boy, Freckles," he said, forcing back the pain that his laughter caused, "you sure weren't exaggerating."

Kate smiled apologetically, continuing to smooth down his hair with her fingers. "I told you."

"That you did," he said drowsily, "but don't stop. I think it'll grow on me."

Holding his hand, Kate continued to sing as Sawyer fought off the darkness.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Sawyer came to again, he was back on the beach, lying underneath his old tent. Somewhat dazed, he glanced over to see Kate sleeping in a chair next to him. The memory of that night came flooding back to him. It was over. It was really over. And she was safe.

As though she could feel his gaze on her, Kate's eyes fluttered open. She looked at Sawyer in confusion for a moment, then smiled. "Hey."

"Hey." He glanced down at his now-bare chest, his eyes falling upon the huge bandage over the gunshot wound. "So what's the prognosis? Will I live?"

Kate nodded. "Yep. And according to Jack, the wound wasn't even all that bad. He says you were probably milking it."

Sawyer frowned at this. "Yeah, well, let's shoot him in the chest and see how he likes it."

"Maybe later." Kate agreed. She leaned forward, taking his hand. "So are you all right?"

"You heard the doc," he retorted, "apparently I should be running a marathon right now."

Kate shook her head. "No, I mean…are you all right?"

He looked down at her hand intertwined with his own. "Yeah," he said, "I think I'll pull through."

There was a moment of silence between them. Kate looked down at the ground, clearly brooding over something in her mind. "Sawyer," she said finally, "about what happened between us…"

He felt his heart sink. So here it was. He was out of danger now and so he was being booted to the corner. Well, it figured. Women always went for doctors.

"Don't worry, Freckles," he said with more lightness than he felt, "what happens in the jungle stays in the jungle, remember?" He kept his gaze downcast, afraid to look at her. But finally he could stand it no longer and glanced in her direction. He was surprised to see the look of mischievous seduction on her face.

"Well," she said, tilting her head to the side, "maybe we'll just have to go back to the jungle then."

Sawyer blinked at her for a moment then grinned, struggling to sit up. "All right. Let's go!"

Kate laughed, gently forcing him back down. "Later," she suggested, "first you have to recover."

"Oh, I'm fine," Sawyer insisted, "you heard the doc. It's just a scratch."

"Sawyer…"

"Damn." He shook his head. "Save the whole group and now I got to lie around in bed all day doin' nothin'."

Kate shrugged. "I don't know. Bed isn't such a bad place to be sometimes." And before he could respond, she had crawled onto the bedroll next to him and was snuggling up against him.

Pleased, Sawyer wrapped one arm around her and rested the other underneath his head. "Maybe you're right," he said, grinning, "Suddenly this whole recovery thing doesn't seem so bad after all…"

**The End**.

_Author's Note_: So, yeah, it's over. I think this is one of the first fics that I'm actually sad it'sfinished and not relieved to have it done. I thought about making it longer but I think this is as far as thisstory needed to go. Thanks for all of your support! Seriously, you guys rock. I wish all of my stories had such devoted readers. And just to throw in a little self-promotion, I'll be starting a new fic soon (cuz I have no life. Which is obvious, since I'm posting this story on a Friday night and have posted it pretty much every night before that. My life is sad.) Oh, yeah, and let me know what you think!(Remember, my life is sad. This is pretty much all I live for. Just kidding...kind of).


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